Day 0892 - Le Tigre

Le Tigre "Le Tigre" (1999)

Le Tigre - not just one of Derek Zoolander's many varied looks.

After the breakup of her riot grrrl (90s feminist punk movement) band Bikini Kill, Kathleen Hanna released a solo album under the name Julie Ruin.   She put together a band with Johanna Fateman and Sadie Benning to play the album live but they soon moved beyond that and began making music together.

The abrasive punk of Bikini Kill is less prominent here, outside of the odd track like "The The Empty".  There is still that coiled spring energy but it's channelled into much catchier (though still rocking and lo-fi) danceable fare, like opener "Deceptacon".  Or there's "Hot Topic" which name-checks a number of notable creative people in a way that works as almost a kind of beat poetry.   "My My Metrocard" has kitschy 60s, Austin Powers-esque organ over a shouted punchy groove.

The whole thing has a retro feel to it that seems like it's referencing catchy  50s and 60s pop-rock but without sounding specific to that period thanks to its underlying raw power and punk attitude.

Day 0861 - Live 1966

Bob Dylan "Live 1966" (1998)

Recorded during Dylan's controversial early move to electric music.  The first half of the concert/album is Dylan alone playing acoustic tracks.  For the second half, Dylan is accompanied by his excellent backing band the Hawks, who would go on to find fame themselves as "the Band" (see days 127 and 156).

The book states that Dylan and the Hawks were heckled and jeered during the electric set... maybe that was edited out of the version I listened to because it just sounds like cheers for the duration.

I like the mix of sounds between the two sets and I guess it's an important historical musical recording, but at an hour and a half, this is a touch too much Bob for my tastes.